Medical Terminology

Anatomical position: Standing upright facing forward, legs parallel, Palms facing forward.

Sagittal Plane: anatomical plane that divides the body into left and right sections (longitudinal)

Frontal/Coronal Plane: divides the body into posterior and anterior portions (perpendicular)

Transverse/Axial plane: divides the body into superior and inferior portions (parallel to the ground)

Anterior: located in the front of the body (front side of body)

Posterior: located in the back of the body (backside of body)

Distal: away from the trunk  (wrist distal to elbow)

Proximal: towards the trunk/center 

Inferior: Deeper, away from the head, towards the bottom portion of body 

Superior: Superficial, towards the head, towards the top portion of the body 

Medial: Midline down the line of the body 

Lateral: away from midline 

Abduction: moving away from the midline

Adduction: moving towards the midline

Circumduction: movement in a circular pattern while other limb stays stationary 

Depression: downward movement of the scapula and mandible  

Elevation: upward movement of the scapula and mandible

Dorsiflexion: flex toes up, contracting foot 

Plantarflexion: flex toes down, extension of the foot

Extension/Hyperextension: increase the range of motion/angle (degrees)

Flexion/Hyperflexion: decreases the range of motion/angle 

Inversion: turning of the foot to angle the bottom of the foot toward the midline

Eversion: turns the bottom of the foot away from the midline.

Internal Rotation: rotating joint towards the midline  

External Rotation: rotating joint away from the midline 

Sprain: injury to ligament

Strain: muscle or tendon stretches too far

Contusion: swelling, pain, or compression in the joint 

Dislocation: a separation of two bones where they meet at a joint 

Subluxation: partial dislocation

Chronic: condition that continues over an extended period of time 

Mechanism of Injury (MOI): the way damage to skin, bone or muscle happen

Swelling: enlargement of skin or any body part

Hematoma: pool of body fluid (blood) that forms in a space

Prognosis: predicted time of disease

Etiology: brand of knowledge concerned with the cause or causes of a disease 

Pathology: science that focus on diagnosis and disease 

HOPS: history, observation, palpation, stress test how you assess)

SOAP: subjective, objective, assessment, plan (how you document)

Alg- pain

Angio- vessel

Anti- opposite

Arthr- joint

Auto- self

Brachi- arm

Brady- slow

Bronc- lung

Cardi- heart

Cephal- head

Cervic- neck

Chondro- cartilage

Contra- opposite

Cranio- skull

Derma- skin

Disc - Abnormal

Dors- Posterior

Dys- Difficult

Ectomy- Removal of something

-emesis vomiting 

- emia Blood

Erythro- Cells

Fasci- Tissue

Fibro- Fibrous tissue

Hem- Blood

Hydro- Water

Hyper- above, beyond, super

Idio- Pectuur

Inter- Among and between 

Intra- Inside 

Iso- Equal

-itis Inflammation

kinesio/kinesis Movement

Laryng- Windpipe

Leuk- White

Lingu- Tongue

Lipo- Fat

-lysis Setting free

Mal- bad , abnormal

Mening- Membrane

Myo- Muscle

Necro- Dead

Neuro- Nerve and brain

 -osis Condition

Osteo- Bone

Oto- Ear

-otomy Cutting

-penia Deficiency 

-phylaxis Protection

-pnea Breathing

Post- After

Pre- Before

Pseudo- False

Pulmo- Lung

-stasis Stopping and controlling

Tachy- Over

Thermo- heat